Barcelona’s rising star, Vitor Roque, stole the spotlight in Spain on Saturday night following his impactful performance in the Blaugrana’s clash with Alavés, have a look at the meaning of his tiger celebration
Despite only recently joining Barcelona in January, Roque showcased his prowess once again, scoring a crucial goal to secure a 3-1 victory.
FC Barcelona’s Vitor Roque tiger celebration and tigrinho nickname meaning in English explained
Vitor Roque hits the 'Tiger' celebration for the first time since joining the club. Tigrinho! pic.twitter.com/8DXHyH6YlA
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) February 3, 2024
Introduced as a substitute at Estadio Mendizorrotza with Barcelona holding a slim 2-1 lead, Roque demonstrated his clinical finishing by coolly slotting the ball into the far bottom corner from Héctor Fort’s pull-back.
This marked his second goal in as many appearances, revealing his distinctive ‘Tigrinho’ celebration – a tiger-like gesture owing to his nickname Tigrinho which means Tiger in English. However, the 18-year-old’s celebration was short-lived, as less than 10 minutes later, he received a harsh second yellow card.
Reason Behind Receiving Yellow Card
Attempting to leap over an opponent, Roque unintentionally made contact with the Alavés player’s trailing foot, resulting in his dismissal. The Issuance of a yellow card for this unexpected action further favored Barcelona, adding to the ongoing challenges faced by Xavi’s team due to officiating.
This prompted an announcement during the post-match press conference that they intend to appeal the striker’s expulsion, seeking his participation in the upcoming match against Granada.
In the match summary, the referee recounted the incident as follows: “At the 72nd minute, player (19) Roque Ferreira, Vitor Hugo, received a caution for recklessly striking an opponent’s leg with his foot.”
Barcelona vs Alavés
In the broader context of the game, Barcelona’s victory was sealed with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Ilkay Gundogan before Roque’s memorable cameo. Despite playing the last 20 minutes with 10 men, Barcelona held firm to secure their fifth win in six league games, overcoming Alavés’ spirited efforts.
The match saw Alavés pressuring Barcelona in the early stages, with the home side seeking a fourth consecutive league win.
Lewandowski’s opening goal and Gundogan’s subsequent contribution put Barcelona in control. Alavés fought back with Samuel Omorodion’s goal, but Roque’s entry on the hour mark added another dimension to the game.
Roque’s swift impact included scoring Barcelona’s third goal, but his subsequent red card added drama to the contest. Despite playing a man down, Barcelona managed to maintain their lead and secure the victory.
This triumph came in the backdrop of Xavi’s announcement that he would resign as manager in the summer, adding an extra layer of significance to the team’s performance.
ALSO READ: Carlos Sainz Jr next new F1 team odds and predictions with him set to leave Ferrari